Strong storms that rolled through western Iowa overnight Thursday into early this (Friday) morning, caused damage to trees in Adair and Guthrie Counties. The National Weather Service says Emergency Management officials for the two counties reported that between 1:30-and 1:35-a.m., numerous tree branches ranging from four- to 6-inches in diameter fell in Adair and Guthrie Center, and there were scattered power outages affecting parts of both towns.

Additional damage reports may be forthcoming, once officials get a better look, after sunrise. The Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the KJAN listening area at around 8:20-p.m., Thursday. A portion of the Watch area in far west/southwest Iowa was replaced by a Tornado Watch about an hour later.  The first severe thunderstorm warnings issued for southwest Iowa came in at around 11:45-p.m., and it affected Mills County. Additional warnings were issued throughout the night, for Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Guthrie and Adair Counties.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED TORNADO WATCH 538 FOR

THE FOLLOWING AREAS…

IN IOWA THIS CANCELS 5 COUNTIES: FREMONT MILLS MONTGOMERY PAGE POTTAWATTAMIE

COUNTIES: MILLS -MONTGOMERY -POTTAWATTAMIE  1230 AM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT FOR NORTHEASTERN MILLS…NORTHERN MONTGOMERY AND EASTERN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES…

AT 1225 AM CDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MINDEN TO CARSON TO EMERSON…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

AVOCA…OAKLAND…WALNUT…CARSON…ELLIOTT…MACEDONIA…HANCOCK…

HENDERSON AND GRANT.

1214 AM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…EASTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…

* UNTIL 100 AM CDT

* AT 1211 AM CDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTH OF UNDERWOOD TO TREYNOR TO MALVERN…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND PENNY SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… OAKLAND…AVOCA…MALVERN…TREYNOR…CARSON…WALNUT…SHELBY…

MINDEN…ELLIOTT…MACEDONIA…HANCOCK…HENDERSON…MCCLELLAND…

GRANT…OLD TOWN PARK…FARM CREEK PUBLIC WILDLIFE AREA AND BOTNA

BEND PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A

BUILDING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING

FOR SOUTHWESTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

915 PM CDT THU OCT 3 2013

TORNADO WATCH 538 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CDT FRIDAY,  FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN IOWA: FREMONT MILLS MONTGOMERY PAGE AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES.

The National Weather Service at 8:20-p.m. Thursday, issued SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #537, which is in effect until 5-a.m. Friday. Area Counties included in the SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH: ADAIR  ADAMS  AUDUBON CARROLL  CASS  CRAWFORD DALLAS   FREMONT HARRISON GUTHRIE   MADISON   MILLS  MONTGOMERY PAGE  POTTAWATTAMIE   RINGGOLD   SAC  SHELBY  TAYLOR AND UNION.

PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE…
NUMEROUS LARGE HAIL EVENTS LIKELY WITH A FEW VERY LARGE HAIL    EVENTS TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE;  SEVERAL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE; A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 140 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES WEST    SOUTHWEST OF FALLS CITY NEBRASKA TO 70 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES,  IOWA.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE STORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.

The Iowa Storm Chasing Network (http://iowachase.com) reports the Severe Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is currently watching parts of southwestern Iowa for the probability of issuing a severe thunderstorm watch. It appears more robust storm initiation will occur over the next hour or two across south central Iowa. A large hail and perhaps an isolated tornado threat may develop over the next several hours as attempts are made for storms to increase in coverage and intensity across central Iowa

COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE EVENING…BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO REDEVELOP OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. A FEW ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. LOCALLY HEAVY IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

FRIDAY: STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE AND 65 MPH WINDS. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO AS WELL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING AND AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An unusual strong storm front is threatening the Midwest from the central Plains to the Mississippi Valley over the next several days. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., says the system could bring heavy thunder, wind, rain and possibly tornadoes on Friday.

Meteorologist Gregory Carbin says about one-third of Iowa and parts of southern Minnesota have a 45 percent chance of severe storms, More than 1 million people live in that risk area.

Parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Wisconsin are also on the storm front’s path. Areas as far south as Oklahoma and Texas could be affected. Meteorologists say this is the first time since at least 2000 that a storm this size in the region has been forecast in October a day in advance.

The National Weather Service says several rounds of thunderstorms are expected across Iowa today through Friday evening. There is a threat for severe weather over central and western Iowa this afternoon and evening with the potential for large hail and damaging winds. An isolated tornado is also possible. Additional storms are expected to develop over northern Iowa by Friday afternoon. Large hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes are possible with this activity. One final line of storms will arrive Friday evening and will bring and additional severe weather threat. Storms will end Saturday as much cooler weather arrives. Sunday will remain cool with a few showers forecast over the northern half of the state. Seasonal and mainly dry conditions are expected for the start of next week.